Natural Bodybuilder With One of the Best Physiques Ever Reveals His Top 2 Exercises Per Muscle (Surprisingly Simple)

Natural bodybuilding is experiencing a renaissance, with athletes proving that exceptional physiques don’t require pharmaceutical enhancement.

Two leading voices in evidence-based training recently sat down to discuss their top exercise selections for building muscle naturally.

Joel Quinnham, known online as TNF, joined forces with fellow fitness expert to break down the most effective movements for each major muscle group.

Their conversation reveals why exercise execution matters far more than simply choosing popular movements.

Building Elite Quads With Two Key Movements

Both experts reached immediate consensus on quad development: heel-elevated hack squats and leg extensions form the foundation of optimal quad growth.

Quinnham addressed a common concern about hack squats causing knee discomfort.

Yeah, they have in the past. And like most of the reason is cuz I did something stupid. If I hadn’t done that, it would have been fine.

The heel elevation strategy creates a biomechanical advantage that reduces joint stress while maximizing muscle tension. Elevating heels shifts knees forward, allowing greater knee flexion without excessive forward lean.

Equipment quality matters significantly for hack squat effectiveness, both coaches emphasized.

For leg extensions, positioning becomes critical. Elevating the knees by placing a pad underneath shifts the moment arm forward, making lighter weights feel substantially heavier on the quadriceps.

Hamstring Development Through Strategic Positioning

Hamstring training revealed slightly different approaches, though both coaches prioritized deficit hip hinge movements and hamstring curls.

The barbell Romanian deadlift (RDL) emerged as a preferred choice, executed with specific technical modifications. Standing on an elevation with toes slightly raised forces even greater hamstring engagement throughout the range of motion.

Proper foot positioning makes a dramatic difference:

• Keep feet completely neutral – no toe flare whatsoever
• Maintain tight foot position – active tension throughout
• Drag the bar down shins – nearly touching shoelaces at bottom
• Utilize toe elevation – places hamstrings in greater stretch

For hamstring curls, seated variations won the debate over lying alternatives due to superior loading capacity and mechanical advantage.

However, execution separates effective from ineffective seated curls. Never lean back during seated hamstring curls, as this shifts tension toward glutes and lower back. Instead, lean forward aggressively, grabbing any available anchor point to pull yourself into maximal hip flexion.

Back Training Through Unilateral Cable Work

Back development sparked the most detailed technical discussion, with one coach introducing an unconventional setup that dramatically outperforms traditional variations.

We’re going unilateral cable from a high position. We’re going to set that bench slightly back so we can pull sagittal plane right off of a high cable and we’re going to pull down elbow to hip pocket.

This high-to-low unilateral cable pulldown offers multiple advantages over bilateral pulling. Setting the bench at a slight angle allows athletes to brace against the opposite side of their body, creating exceptional stability.

The unilateral approach permits 1.2 to 1.3 times more load compared to pulling with both arms simultaneously. Splitting the body in half improves bracing capacity and mind-muscle connection while allowing each lat to be trained independently.

For upper back development, chest-supported rows with proper execution technique reign supreme. The critical error most lifters make involves lifting the chest during the concentric portion, which dramatically reduces the elbow flexion angle.

Maintaining a “turtle shell” position—keeping the chest pressed down throughout—allows the elbow joint to close beyond 90 degrees, maximizing rhomboid, rear delt, and lower trap engagement.

Chest Training Beyond Traditional Incline Work

Chest training recommendations challenged conventional wisdom about prioritizing incline pressing for complete development.

The top selection? Bench-supported cable flyes at a mid-chest angle, executed with the bench set just below horizontal. This setup provides unlimited range of motion while eliminating stability demands that limit load on freestanding fly variations.

Reaching back with elbows forward exposes the biceps and creates maximum pec stretch before driving forward and through for complete contraction. The converging movement pattern matches natural chest fiber orientation.

For pressing movements, flat or slight decline angles with converging machines took priority over incline variations. This preference stems from leverages and natural chest development patterns.

Quinnham contributed his increasingly popular supinated incline press, which prevents elbow flare through grip mechanics alone.

Whenever I get to a heavy weight and I’m doing an incline press, because you have more tissue here, my elbows want to flare out in order to bring that. And this just keeps that I don’t have to think about it.

Arm Training With Bench Support Superiority

Arm training emphasized supported variations that eliminate stabilization demands and allow maximum loading on target muscles.

For triceps, overhead extensions performed with buttocks braced against a cable column creates exceptional stability. The weight pulling straight back locks the hips in position, allowing complete focus on elbow extension without any core involvement.

Bench-supported pushdowns offer even greater loading potential. Setting a bench at approximately 60 degrees underneath a cable station pins the elbows back automatically while the bench provides complete torso support.

This setup removes skill requirements that make standing pushdowns technically demanding. Beginners benefit enormously from positions that constrain movement to the target joint action.

For biceps, bench-supported cable curls executed with cables set roughly one foot off the floor provide similar benefits. Scooting into the bench crook with torso angle matching cable trajectory eliminates any body movement. Pinning elbows back while dragging palms forward isolates biceps completely.

Shoulder Development Through Strategic Positioning

Shoulder training recommendations assumed adequate front delt stimulation from pressing movements, focusing instead on lateral and posterior heads.

For lateral delts, lying cable lateral raises with cables positioned approximately one foot above hip height provide constant tension throughout the entire range. Lying completely flat on a bench while dragging directly out and slightly up eliminates momentum.

Rear delt training utilized crossbody cable flies with specific range limitations. Reaching across the body with neutral palm creates maximal stretch before pulling out to approximately shoulder height—the point where rear delt contribution ends and trap involvement begins.

I see people all the time, they come back to here all the way, and if they can’t come back to here anymore, they’re like, Oh, well, I’m done. I’m like, You were doing a trap movement there.

Understanding where target muscle involvement ends prevents wasted effort on ranges that shift tension to unintended muscle groups.

Execution Trumps Exercise Selection

Both coaches emphasized that how exercises are performed matters infinitely more than which movements are chosen.

Intentionality, intensity, and proximity to failure within the target muscle group determine results. Minimizing fatigue accumulation, central nervous system stress, and injury risk while maximizing mechanical tension on intended muscles represents the true skill of advanced training.

These exercise selections work because they constrain movement patterns to emphasize target muscles while providing exceptional stability and loading potential. For natural athletes seeking maximum muscle development, mastering these foundational movements with pristine execution offers a clear path forward.